— 


A. aes ; ‘X 
rr" es an i iS "i = Tt 
; nN )) é 4 
ol Se & a ots 


IN THE XXrx CENTURY | 
| Cece 


te 








$2 
a wee ari : 
STE ESSERE SS PRS CE DOE FAST NET EIS IE EP I OE DIET ES OI 











Pow N fYPE DESIGN 
Pee a lH CENTURY 


rT 


3 
> 


& 





AMERICAN TYPE DESIGN 
IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY 


Peete EOIMENS OF THE OUTSTANDING 
free tT RODUCED DURING THIS PERIOD 
BY DVOUGLAS C. McMURTRIE-+ WITH AN 
Pou TlON BY FREDERIC W. GOUDY 





CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 
ROBERT O. BALLOU 


TQ 24 


ea%7% 099 











S —s 
, 


oy a) Key RES 
INTRODUCTORY NOTE 


a(/ ANGUAGE is the amber in which a 
s ees subtleand precious thoughts 
are safely embodied and preserved— 
Ay ¥) a storehouse in which is contained 
, SC the incarnation of the thoughts and 
feelings of a nation. A language is not 
acquired merely for the thoughts it 
enfolds, but also for itself alone asa sublime achieve- 
ment of the human mind, or for the peculiar pleasure 
afforded by its beauty as the vehicle of thought. 

Nor is any history of a language more dramatic than 
the history of letters themselves, as letters, like men, 
have also their strange eventful histories; they have 
now an ancestry. Their history, in a way, is the history 
of the human race since in writing is bound up the 
development of thought, of expression, of art, of inter- 
communication, and of mechanical invention. And 
just as language may be considered apart from its 
function as the vehicle of thought, so may we think of 
letters.for themselves alone, for the beauty of their 
forms as well as for their functions as the elements of 
written expression or as details of an accomplished 
system for transmitting man’s thoughts. 

But the abstract forms we call letters are now so 
closely linked up with other details of everyday life 
that our very familiarity with them leads us to over- 
look or neglect the sources of their being and the his- 


ON Ne a AS 





SIF cy 





[5] 


hy WY ies Poe Be 


INTRODUC‘T OSROe 


tory of their development. It is only with the sudden 
realization of the cunning and subtle design of their 
simple forms that we become aware of the strangeness 
of the familiar characters that coin for us the enchant- 
ing tale, the poet’s visions, or the philosopher’s mus- 
ings. 

Comparatively few printers, and even fewer readers 
know or appreciate the many stages of development 
through which letters have passed to reach their pres- 
ent forms, symbols that have become so familiar as 
to be commonplace. : 

Mr. McMurtrie has suggested, in his review of 
creative work in the design of American type faces 
which follows, that achievements in this field can be 
credited to two influences; that there are two ways to 
make good type faces—one to reproduce the historic 
types cut by the older masters of typography; the 
other, to create entirely new designs. To follow the first 
method is to play safe, yet I do not believe it is the way 
to secure real progress in the typographic art. There is 
great danger of making a fetish of the work of those 
older craftsmen. Give their efforts sincere and honest 
admiration if you will, but not the absolute idolatry 
that will prevent fresh essays in letter design. While 
ignorance is said to be the mother of admiration, it is 
not ignorance that inspires our admiration of the work 
of Jenson, Aldus, Vascosan, Tory, Garamond, Bodoni, 
Baskerville, Caslon, Morris; it is our perception of the 
work of masters. Why reproduce today the monu- 
mental forms of yesterday? Under their hands designs 
evolved naturally, budding and blossoming from with- 
in, the very emanation of the spirit in which they 
worked; they produced designs as the bee its honey- 
comb, as the bird its nest, indeed they could not work 
otherwise. Their types are now so entirely the heritage 
of every reader that their reproduction and constant 
use could not fail to make them commonplace and 
ordinary. On the other hand those inimitable produc- 
tions of the past should suggest to the designer with 


[6] 


eee COT OR Y NOTE 


vision, a continued train of perceptions and_ idea, 
which he may employ and turn to his own need, sug- 
gestions that will enable him to create new expressions 
of beauty, and at the same time advance growth and 
development. His work will be kept in healthful 
motion, lifted up and driven onward, and preserved 
from unwholesome stagnation. New types, suited to 
the conditions of the present, yet based on good tradi- 
tions will result. 

Traditional forms furnish a safe basis upon which to 
work, but tradition must be renewed and advanced 
into our own times or it tends to over-ride and hamper 
personal expression. The early craftsman worked with 
his hands for very love of the work itself; blind indeed 
to medieval ills and discomforts; he saw only the ulti- 
mate destination of his efforts. He had no superhuman 
ability or taste. But the work of a copyist can present 
only the infelicities and mannerisms of the former 
worker, and will lack entirely the human stamp of life 
and variety, and the expression of joy so evident in the 
old work. No art can live by the continued reviving or 
reproduction of the achievements of the past. To what 
source, then, or to what quarter shall we turn for sug- 
gestions for the new type creations that will find place 
in Mr. McMurtrie’s second category? How are these 
new designs to be created? 

In the days before printing, the scribe was born into 
a tradition; certain forms already were universal and 
fundamental, and actually in the process of growth 
and development under the hand of each individual 
writer who used them. When printing came its inven- 
tors merely selected the best of the contemporary book 
hands of the scribes—they used the materials that 
came ready made into their hands. The square capitals 
of the manuscript book hands had been derived by 
the scribes from the stone-cut forms of ancient Rome 
and bequeathed by them to the early printers who 
accepted them practically without alteration. The 
printers, in their anxiety to compete successfully with 


a) 


I NT R OD U Cyl O RY 


the manuscript books—not realizing that even then 
the art of the scribes was in its death throes—adopted 
also the minuscules that gradually had altered from 
their original forms by adaption to the exigencies 
of the writers, without question as to their complete 
fitness as shapes suited for reproduction in metal 
types. Nor did either printer or type-founder, until 
printing had been recognized for its own sake, make 
any attempts to seek or create minuscule forms better 
adapted to type reproduction. 

For many years after there was any necessity for 
their use printers retained the abbreviations and con- 
tractions of the scribes as well as the mannerisms of 
the manuscript book. 

Printing killed the art of the scribe; and it did not 
occur to printers to avail themselves of the sources 
of the scribe’s inspiration for their type forms. 
Although the first types, modelled on the beautiful 
manuscript forms, were designed to meet technical 
limitations and comply with mechanical conditions, 
they soon drew away from a purely esthetic standard 
in pursuit of the utilitarianism gradually arrived at, 
thus bringing about an entire revolution of ideals. 

It is not absolutely necessary for the type designer 
to know whence our alphabet itself was derived, or the 
history of its development from the far-off times of the 
Egyptian hieroglyphics, but he should be thoroughly 
conversant with the beginnings of the Roman capitals 
whose forms are now fixed by evolution and the stress 
of necessity, and of which we are not able to alter or 
improve a single character to make it more 
beautiful or more legible. For nearly two thousand 
years the Roman capital has held supreme place 
among all letters for beauty and character. 

For the use of the designer today there remains 
little in the vanished art of the scribe save the mere 
force of tradition. Nevertheless the designers of new 
types may still carry on these traditions of the scribes 
while respecting the prejudices of the present, and 


[8] 


eee Oo) UU Cr ORY N OT E 


produce new designs that will bear plainly and un- 
ashamedly the qualities which the modern methods of 
their production and the metal in which they are 
fashioned impose upon them. 

Any study of the history and development of the 
shapes that evolved finally into our familiar “lower 
case’’ letters would seem to require a familiarity with 
_ the Greek and Latin tongues. We may however, with 
but a very slender knowledge of those languages, trace 
the transition of the square capitals developed by the © 
scribes from the lapidary letters of the early craftsmen 
into uncials; later into a mixed hand made up of uncials 
and occasional minuscules, which, without doubt, 
were mere interpolations of letters from the cursive 
handwriting of the time, and finally into the half- 
uncial that is the direct forerunner of the minuscle 
book-hand from which our “‘lower-case’’ letters come. 

Let us then go back to the sources of the scribe’s art 
for new inspirations, the beautiful majuscule letters 
of classical Rome, for our capitals, and for our lower- 
case letters to the fine book-hands that by the eleventh 
and twelfth centuries had gradually evolved into fixed 
forms from the Carolingian minuscules of the ninth; 
not indeed to copy those forms, but to make of them a 
starting point for new expressions suited to present day 
needs. . 

Too many types in use today betray the fact that 
their designers were not conversant with the early 
forms of letters, that they had a feeble invention, a 
weak sense of proportion or propriety. Eccentricity of 
form from the hand of an artist who is master of him- 
self and of his subject may be pleasing; it becomes only 
mere affectation when attempted by the ignorant 
amateur. 

The master, by his knowledge of early forms, will 
give new graces to them; his eccentricities are the 
natural expression of his own individuality and his 
letters will have a style of their own because unaf- 
fected. Yet even his letter designs must not be too 


[9] 


IN T R O DU CT OCR Dee 


personal if they are to achieve a lasting fame or sur- 
vive to a later age. Contemporary considerations must 
be controlled by environment and conditions under 
which the designer works, rather than by presenting 
freaks of fashion, although conforming to the spirit 
and ideas of the present. Reason, more than senti- 
ment; cool, distinguished reticence; unassuming sim- 
plicity and freedom from eccentricity, should be the 
guiding motives; and when, too, our new types express 
a manly earnestness, careful thought in every detail, 
beauty, legibility and a simple grandeur, they may 
indeed prove monumental. 

Ignorance often leads us to admire that which with 
fuller insight we perceive to be ordinary or common- 
place; but just as frequently a deeper study of that 
which seems trite because of our familiarity with it 
will disclose new beauties and new suggestions, rays 
still below the mental horizon that will dawn upon the 
imagination of one alert to receive them. 

Letters are to be read, not to be used as practice 
models for designers, or to be molded by caprice or 
ignorance into fantastic forms of uncertain meaning. 
They are not shapes made to display the skill of their 
designer, they are forms fashioned solely to help the 


reader. 
Frederic W. Goudy. 


[ 10 ] 





7 aaa 
S S 
Ta 
ile XS SC iP 
—— as, SSS 


AMERICAN TYPE DESIGN 
Oat We NGCER MERICAN typography, like that of 
} all the European countries, passed 
through a dark and discouraging 
period during the last half of the 
nineteenth century. This was the age 
of types abnormal in every particu- 
lar, of the decorated monstrosities 
that made printing in general, and display composi- 
tion especially, so hideous. Fortunately the text types 
in the smaller sizes suffered less than those intended 
for display, but the founders in all lands, in their 
effort to cater to what was supposed to be contem- 
porary taste, departed far from the standards set by 
Jenson, Garamond, Van Dijk, and Caslon. 

During the twentieth century, however, there has 
been a real renaissance of type design in America. 
The extent of American activity along this line is not, 
I think, fully appreciated abroad. And not only have a 
very great number of new faces been brought out in 
the last two decades, but the merit of the designs 
has been such as to place the United States in rank 
second to no other country in this field. 

American achievements in type design can be 
credited principally to two influences. There are two 
ways to make good type faces. One is to reproduce 
the historic types cut by the older masters of typogra- 
phy, types which have stood the test of time; and 





[11] 


AME Rel Cand Nog beet DESIGN 


second, the creation of entirely new designs. The 
first of these methods has been followed to a notably 
successful conclusion by the American Type Founders 
Company, which has also, in interpretations and 
modifications of historic faces, the development of 
bold faces and the like, shown much ability in origina- 
tion at the hand of Morris Benton. The second method 
of almost complete origination has been followed by 
the distinguished type designer, Frederic W. Goudy, 
who has brought out independently many beautiful 
faces which have proved extremely successful for the 
uses for which they have been intended. 

Both efforts have met with enthusiastic yet practi- 
cal encouragement, not from a few printers only— 
but from hundreds of printers throughout the length 
and breadth of the land who have been interested in 
high standards of typography. Advertising, with its 
large appropriations and the high grade of talent 
_devoted to its execution, has been a potent force in 
the encouragement of improved typography and the 
consequent demand for better type faces so essential 
‘to that improvement. 

There used to be a considerable number of type- 
foundries in the United States, but in the course of 
years the smaller ones were absorbed and the larger 
ones consolidated. At the present time there are 
practically but two large typefoundries in the country, 
the American Type Founders Company and Barn- 
hart Brothers & Spindler. 

As the typefounders, making separate types ay 
hand composition and distribution, were the only 
ones interested in type design, it was they who 
developed most of the faces in general use. When the 
composing machines were invented, their principal 
use was in newspaper offices and their aim was to 
enable their customers to duplicate by machine 
setting the results they had been obtaining with hand 
type. They therefore imitated as closely as possible 
the type designs then in vogue. 


[12] 


Meee ies XX TH CENTURY 


As the typefounders were shut out more and more 
effectively from the fields of newspaper and book 
composition their attention was directed to the design 
of new and better types for publicity purposes. They 
still retained the leadership in design, but as fast as 
they developed faces, the composing machine manu- 
facturers copied them. The American Type Founders 
Company, for one, waged a determined fight to make 
an original type design patentable, so prohibiting its 
duplication by competitors—but without success. 
The consistent refusal of this company itself to 
plagiarize the designs of others isa matter of common 
knowledge and public record. 

It is very recently indeed that the composing 
machine companies have come to see the wisdom of 
creating faces for themselves, and we can expect 
much more from them along this line in the future. 
At the present time, however, I can think of but two 
faces of importance which have been developed 
independent of the foundries: Italian old style on the 
monotype and Benedictine on the linotype. The 
Monotype Company has retained Frederic W. Goudy 
and the Linotype Company Edward E. Bartlett to 
further their efforts in this commendable. direction. 
It appears that type design piracy will fortunately soon 
be a thing of the past. 

It is interesting to note, however, that in spite of the 
competition of composing machines, the sales of type 
by the typefounders has showed a steady increase. 

Before proceeding to a discussion of the type designs 
produced in the United States during recent years we 
must briefly consider the evolution which has taken 
place in the methods of matrix making. In earlier 
days the artist who was responsible for the design 
of the face himself cut the punches in soft steel which 
was afterwards hardened. These punches were then 
driven into copper or some other ductile metal to form 
matrices. After finishing and fitting, these matrices 
were used in the casting of types. 


[13] 


AMERICAN TY P EO 


Fourscore and se 


36-pt. Caslon printed from type 


Fourscore and se 


18-pt. Caslon enlarged to 36 pt. size 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fa 


18-pt. Caslon printed from type 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fa 


6-pt. Caslon enlarged to 18 pt. size 


Punches for each different point size were cut in 
succession by hand, and considerable judgment was 
used by the punch-cutter in interpreting the face in the 
varying sizes. In the older types such as the “471 
Caslon,”’. the first type illustrated in this article, the 
design varies to a very considerable degree in the 
various sizes. For example eighteen point Caslon 
enlarged to thirty-six point size will look so different 
as to appear to be another face. Likewise the six 
point enlarged to eighteen point will look dissimilar. 
The reason for this is that a type design which is per- 
fect for, say, fourteen point needs modification if it is 
to print well in six point. The result was that a series 
of type in five sizes by one of the old masters prac- 
tically comprised five different designs, though re- 
taining, of course, the same general characteristics. 

The next development was a divorcement of the 
functions of design and punch cutting. One man would 
design a face and another would interpret it in the 
various sizes in cutting it on steel. 

The production of new type designs, by reason of 
the increasing scarcity of competent punch cutters, 
was becoming more and more difficult when, about 


[i 


eee xX X TH CENTURY 


thirty years ago, Linn Boyd Benton of Milwaukee 
invented and perfected the first punch cutting ma- 
chine. This machine works on the principle of a 
pantograph, a guide, following the outlines of a large 
scale pattern of the type design, directing the move- 
ment of a fine revolving tool cutting the metal of the 
punch or matrix in greatly reduced scale but in exact- 
ly the same design. This machine or machines similar 
to it are now in use in all typefoundries and the 
matrix departments of all composing machine manu- 
facturers throughout the world. 

We may perhaps regret the passing of masters of 
type design like Garamond and Granjon who were 
punch-cutters as well. Or we may recall with wonder 
the statement of Fournier le jeune that he had built 
up the equipment of his foundry in twenty-nine years, 
cutting every one of the vast number of punches with 
his own hand! But we cannot doubt that the Benton 
engraving machine, in its reproduction of the designs 
of typographic artists with such absolute fidelity, 
affords us a great improvement over the intermediate 
method of entrusting to a punch cutter who was only 
an artisan the engraving of the designs by hand. The 
machine has also made the production of new faces 
less expensive and more expeditious. In recent years 
the engraving machines have been used to produce 
type faces in a still more direct manner. The revolving 
tool instead of cutting a punch in relief is arranged 
to cut a matrix directly in intaglio. This makes im- 
possible the duplication of matrices at will or their 
replacement when worn out, but this is not a dis- 
advantage of much moment from the practical 
point of view, as an engraved matrix, with careful 
use, will last for years. Some authorities contend 
that the types cast in such matrices are not quite as 
sharp in the edges of their impression surface as types 
cast from punch-driven matrices, for the reason that 
no revolving tool can cut an absolutely sharp square 
or angular corner in intaglio, there being of necessity 


[15] 


AMERICAN. TY P Ee. 


a slight curve between side and face of the type. 
This is in no sense, however, a criticism of the en- 
graving machine which will, of course, cut an abso- 
lutely sharp corner on a punch in relief, but only of 
this short cut method for producing matrices. The 
disadvantage is theoretical rather than practical for 
the method has been used by the American Type 
Founders Company in making all its new matrices for 
the last twenty years. 

In some of the newer type faces, particularly those 
not cut in the first instance by the large typefounders, 
there is no gradation of design in the different sizes. 
This is seen, for example, in Kennerley which is 
shown in thirty point, and in eighteen point enlarged 
to the same size. Allowing for the slight differences 
occasioned by enlargement in photo-engraving it will 
be seen that the designs of each size are similar, in 
distinction to the Caslon variations already illustrated. 

There is one more distinction in modern type de- 
sign to be considered. A type can be either plain or 
decorative. By a plain face I ‘mean a type the outlines 
of which are absolutely in accord with the traditional 
shapes of the letters without additions, variations, 
or apparently conscious effort in drawing. Such ‘a 
type is planned first to be readable and second to 
look attractive in mass. The decorative face is one 


Fourscore and seve 


30-pt. Kennerley printed from type 


Fourscore and seve 


18-pt. Kennerley enlarged to 30-pt. size 


drawn with a conscious effort to make each letter 
beautiful in itself, or to have a single word or line 
form a pattern of beauty. In designing types of this 


[ 16 | 


Pees es XN tT HUCCENTURY 


character the temptation to introduce little manner- 
isms not fundamental essentials of the letter forms 
is too strong to be resisted. 

It is types of the former class which were produced 
by the great masters of the past—types which have 
stood the test of time. It is types of the latter class 
which have been the outstanding creation of the 
twentieth century. 

It is types of the former class only that can success- 
fully be used for book composition, which was the 
sole purpose for which the earlier faces were designed. 
In the last fifty years, however, the character of ma- 
terial passing through the average printing office 
has undergone a revolutionary change. The emphasis 
in the majority of offices has shifted from text compo- 
sition to display composition—in other words to 
printing for purposes of publicity. The new class of 
printing has demanded types of a new character, and 
the better faces of the decorative kind are the an- 
swer to that demand. Advertising messages are 
always brief. They are generally set off by ample 
white space. And the effect of the small type blocks 
must be as beautiful as complete legibility permits. 

It is almost needless to add that Frederic W. Goudy 
is the outstanding and distinguished apostle of this 
school of type design. His types have met the new 
demand of a new agein a remarkably successful way. 
That he has not yet, in my opinion, produced an origi- 
nal type design suitable for book composition in any 
or all sizes from five point to eighteen point is in no 
way a disparagement of his remarkable achievements 
as a type designer. No one man can do all things 
equally well. But we cannot escape the fact that 
Goudy’s work has made its impress gf beauty on every 
newspaper and magazine page we read today. 

In general characteristics types vary in design be- 
tween two extremes. One extreme may be represented 
_by Bodoni, heavy in some parts and narrowing to a 
hair line in others. The other extreme is represented 


[17] 


AMERICAN TY PE a 


by Jenson’s type or its modern interpretation, Cloister, 
which comes as near as possible to maintaining a 
uniform weight of line in all elements of the letters. 
Garamond had more differentiation in weight of line 
than Jenson; Caslon more than Garamond. It can 
be stated without fear of contradiction that a type, to 
qualify for successful employment in a wide variety of 
sizes and for a wide range of use, must have a reason- 
able amount of such differentiation in weight of line. 

We may now proceed to the discussion of the more 
significant type faces produced in the United States 
during recent years. 

The type used by most of the early printers in the 
American colonies closely resembled Caslon in ‘design 
and color. The title page of the type specimen book 
of one of the best known printers in American typo- 
graphic history, issued in 1785, reads as follows: “A 
specimen of Isaiah Thomas’s printing types. Being 
as large and complete an assortment as is to be met 
with in any one printing office in America. Chiefly 
manufactured by that great artist, William Caslon, 
Esq., of London.’’ And Mr. Gress reminds us that 
Caslon type was used in setting up the first printed 
copy of the Declaration of Independence. As styles 
changed, however, types of the Caslon variety went 
out of use and many atrocities took their place. 

In 1859 the Johnson Type Foundry of Philadelphia 
brought to this country strikes of the Caslon punches. 
This foundry later became MacKellar, Smiths and 
Jordan, which firm was later absorbed by the Ameri- 
can Type Founders Company. 

Walter Gilliss was one of the first to revive the use 
of Caslon type in the United States. Arthur Turnure 
in establishing the now celebrated style publication 
“Vogue,’’ selected the Caslon face for its composition, 
and planned originally to import from England the 
necessary supply of type. In the 1871 specimen book 
of the MacKellar foundry, however, were found types 
apparently identical with those of the Caslon foun- 


[18] 






WAAAAASAAA 









SPECIMEN 


OF 


ISAIAH THOMAS’s 
PRINTING 


TDPES| 


Being as /arge and complete an ASSORT- 
MENT as is to be met with in any one} 
Printing-Office in AMERICA. 


A 


VV VV YOY VY YVYYY VY YYW WwW YY 
SELLE SAS ed ehh Pd Deed ed LE oa ed CY) 


EIR oS EY EAL ea URI ES Led TE 


AAAA SAAAAASAAAKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 


AARAAAARAA 


| Chiefly MANUFACTURED by that great Artift, 


WILLIAM CASLON, E{q; 
Of LONDON. 


PAA eee LP eS PO A Poe PS Pe oe Po Poa bod ne boa ese 1) 


YW YYW Wwe YY 


oa 1 V ood IY bod | ba 


AA KRAAAAAAAAAAAAA 


PRINTED at WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, 
By ISAIAH THOMAS. 


MDCCLXXXY. 






UL | Pn aT RAITT PAIRS RL Tt 
Obbus PUPS Ube DUE bea eed eee Og 


DQDAAAAAA 


: > 
WWevdv eww ee ev OV ve eV 
oa bad Poe) ed he FU a ei co oe a Re oe oa oe tai art ba tis 


a 


Title page of Isaiah Thomas’ Type Specimen 
[0%] 


ea LAG dR Oe Le Pe Ce PP ee Oe ee ee A Pe Poe ar 
= AA KAKAAA AAAAAARA BAAAAA A AAA KAA 









AMERICAN TYPE. Da 


dry’s own casting, listed under the title of Original 
Old Style. According to Mr. Gillis, ‘the matrices for 
these types were either struck from the original pun- 
ches by the Caslon foundry of London, or the types 
were cast from electrotyped matrices made from Cas- 
lon’s casting.’ The Philadelphia foundry in acknowl- 
edging the order stated that no fonts of Caslon large 
enough for book or periodical work had been received 
by them for nearly two generations. In the 1885 
specimen of the MacKellar, Smiths & Jordan 
foundry were shown the display sizes of Caslon 
though the text sizes did not appear. One of the two 
pages devoted to this face is reproduced in slight 
reduction. Incidentally, the other pages of this par- 
ticular specimen are thoroughly representative of 
the dark ages of American typography. In 1903 
side-hole matrices for Caslon were made for the 
monotype in order to handle the composition 
of ‘Vogue’ on the machines. This very excellent 
cutting, however, became obsolete with the intro- 
duction of the cellular matrices, and it was not until 
1915 that a good version of Caslon again became 
available for machine composition. 

In 1895, Will Bradley began the operation of his 
Wayside Press at Springfield, Mass. He selected Cas- 
lon as his only type face and placed orders for all 
sizes of it with the Dickinson foundry, which was 
the Boston branch of the American Type Founders 
Company. Out of all the sizes, however, he could 
obtain only five, three of these coming from the 
Boston branch and two from Philadelphia. Bradley 
gives rather eloquent testimony regarding the selling 
qualities of Caslon in those days. The colored labels 
on the Boston packages of type were faded almost . 
white, while those on the Philadelphia packages had 
turned yellow and were covered with fly specks. 

One influence in still further popularizing the use 
of Caslon was, I believe, the tasteful and effective 
use of types of both British and American casting 


[ 20] 


Monee XX TH CENTURY 


14.A, 104, 27 a. DOUBLE SMALL Pica OLD STYLE. $7.65 


ANTEDILUVIAN 
AQUARIUMS of Curious Shells and Fish 


P2445 0.7590 


10 A,7 A, 20a E Pica OLD STYLE. $7.65 


SONGS Aon ye Ancient BaRDs 


7A,44, 14a, Two-LINE ENGLISH OLD STYLE. $6.95 


oa oe SCENE in 1776 


Two-LinE ENGLISH OLD Sty 


GI FETS for the Grandchildren 


7A,4A, 14a, Two-LINE GREAT PRIMER OLD ST 


OLtp MEN from Metz, 


Two-LINE GREAT PRIMER OLD STYLE ITALIC. 


Polar Skating RINK 


Ocean | RIPPLES 


MacKellar, Smiths & Fordan, Sansom Street, Philadelphia. 





58 


A Caslon page from the MacKellar Specimen of 1885. 


[ 21} 


AMERICAN T Y P'Eeap 


in high-grade display composition at the Marchbanks 
Press in New York. And Bruce Rogers at Cambridge 
and D. B. Updike in Boston were using them in book 
composition of excellent character. 

Types cast in the old MacKellar matrices could 
be had on special order from the American Type 
Founders Company, although the face was not shown 
on the specimen books. As more and more printers 
learned that this face was available, the demand 
forced the type out of the obsolete class and led 
to issuing a special specimen booklet showing it. The 
face was designated as “471 Caslon.’’ The roman of 
this fine letter is represented by the specimen below. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new na- 
tion, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to 
the proposition that all men are created 
equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil 


war testing whether that nation, or any na- 
471 Caslon Roman. A.T.F. 


The italic also is a faithful representative of the types 
originally cut by William Caslon. There is available 
for use with this italic a fine series of “Swash”’ 
Capitals, and the long s, and the old-fashoned liga- 
tures ct, sh, and so forth 


Fourscore and seven years agoour fathers brought 
forth on this continent a new nation, concetved 1n 
liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all 
men are created equal. Now we are engaged na 
great civil war testing whether that nation, or 
any nation so concerved,and so dedicated,can long 


471 Caslon Italic. A. T.F. 


[22] 


eee XOX TH. CENTURY 


A form of Caslon, known as “‘lining Caslon,’’ was on 
the market twenty years ago and in rather general use 
in printing offices. This was the original Caslon with 
shortened ascenders and descenders to make it cast on 
the so-called “‘American Line,’ a pernicious invention 
useful perhaps to newspaper and catalogue composi- 
tors, which did much to deform American type 
designs which might otherwise have been most 
satisfactory. No types with descenders of normal 
length were shown in the specimen books, though the 
founders had thousands of matrices for them in their 
drawers of obsolete materials. 

The popularity of the Caslon with normal length 
descenders paved the way for sound proportions in the 
design of another type family next to be revived by 
the American Type Founders Company. This organi- 
zation brought out in 1911 and 1912 two distinguished 
faces designed by Morris Benton—Bodoni and 
Bodoni Book. 

The Bodoni is not copied exactly after any one of 
Bodoni’s types but represents a synthesis of the 
characteristics of a number of the designs in his 
later manner, when the differentiation between the 
heavy strokes and the hair line serifs reached its 
maximum. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new na- 
tion, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to 
the proposition that all men are created 
equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil 
war testing whether that nation, or any na- 
Bodoni Roman. A.T.F. 
| The roman is a type suited to book composition 
only when used in the monumental manner in which 


it was utilized by its originator, with wide margins, 
comparatively narrow measure, and generous leading. 


[ 23 ] 


AMERICAN. T Y PR Rig 


In drawing it is absolutely free from objectionable 
mannerisms. The interpretation has met with the 
cordial endorsement of Italian apostles of the dis- 
tinguished printer of Parma. The italic is particularly 
successful, having a vigor and charm which are 
indeed unusual. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new na- 
tion, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to 
the proposition that all men are created 
equal. Now we are engaged ina great civil 


war testing whether that nation, or any na- 
Bodoni Italic. A. T. F. 


The types above are excellent for display composi- 
tion and as rubrics or headings work excellently in 
combination with old style types. 


Bodoni Book was, in a similar way, based on types 
in Bodoni’s earlier manner, with the differentiation 
in weight of line much less extreme. These types were 
among the first truly “modern” designs. The face 
below suggests the condensation of the French types. 
It is legible and pleasing. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our: fathers 

brought forth on this continent a new nation, 

conceived in liberty,and dedicated tothe propo- 

sition that all men are created equal. Now we 

are engaged in a great civil war testing whether 

that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so 
Bodoni Book Roman. A.T.F. 


The italic of Bodoni Book is also satisfactory. Its 
angularity is regular and it is free from freakishness. 


[ 24 ] 


—aeediere XX TH CENTURY 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new nation, 
conceived in liberty,and dedicated to the propo- 
sition that all men are created equal. Now we 
are engaged in a great civil war testing whether 
_ that nation, or any nation so conceived,and so 


Bodoni Book Italic. A. T.F. 


The importance of the Bodoni revival asa milestone 
in American type design cannot well be overestimated. 

About this same time Frederic Goudy brought 
out Kennerley and offered it to the public. This is a 
great type face and manifestly the product of a mas- 
ter of letter design. Asa matter of fact, Goudy was no 
novice. He had already designed a number of beautiful 
types of which Village, which made its first appearance 
in 1903, was the most notable. But this and others 
were private types not for sale to printers generally 
and so of less consequence in a practical way to the 
typographic world. 

Kennerley was Goudy’s first essay in the réle of 
typefounder. This face is essentially one of the 
decorative class already defined. It is splendid in 
display composition and works well in booklets 
where the size of the type is comparatively large in 
relation to the size of the type page. As will be seen 
the weight of line and color is remarkably even. 


-Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new nav 
tion, conceived in liberty, and dedicated 
to the proposition that all men are created 
equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil 
war testing whether that nation, or any. 


Kennerley Roman. Goudy 


[25 ] 


AMERICAN TY P22 2De 


The italic is likewise handsome. Its color is even 
and its angularity regular. It has a number of manner- 
isms or special features which probably detract in 
some degree from its legibility, but none of them is 
objectionable. Italic is a type for occasional rather 
than extensive use and the general effect is undeniably ~ 
charming. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new na- 
tion, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to 
the proposition that all men are created 
equal. Now we are engaged in a great 
civil war testing whether that nation, or 


Kennerley Italic. Goudy 


When Mr. Goudy started to work on Kennerley he 
had the Fell model in mind. But as the design 
developed he got further and further away from it. 
There are many characteristics in Kennerley that 
cannot be found in the Fell types, or indeed in any 
other face previously designed, though they can be 
found in a number which have been brought out 
since. This type must certainly be regarded as an en- 
tirely original design. 

The roman of the Kennerley series was first used in 
“The Door in the Wall” by H. G. Wells, which was 
published by Mitchell Kennerley on November 11, 
1911. It was first shown in specimen form and offered 
on the market in ‘‘Typographia No. 1’ issued in 
September of the same year. The italic was not com- 
pleted until 1915, being first shown in ‘“‘A Note on 
Letter Design’’ issued in December of that year. 
Since its first appearance Kennerley has been exactly 
duplicated on the monotype. As a matter of fact the 
type of the above specimens was cast in monotype 
matrices. 


[ 26 ] 


eee XX TH CENTURY 


One of the greatest merits of Kennerley is its 
beauty in the larger sizes. Set a line of type in sixty 
point Caslon and the result will be far from pleasing; 
set the same line in Kennerley and the effect will be 
lovely. To show how well it stands inspection in the 
larger sizes, witness «the following line of thirty-six 
point capitals: 


FOURSCORE 


Kennerley 36 pt. point capitals. Goudy 


At the same time as Kennerley came on the market, 
Forum Title also made its bow to the typographic 
world. This was an alphabet of very attractive 
monumental capitals based on rubbings made by 
Mr. Goudy of inscriptions in the Roman forum. It 
is shown below. 


FOURSCORE & 
SEVEN YEARS A 


Forum Title. Goudy 


Another face brought out independently by the 
same designer is known as Goudy Antique. It was 
first shown in 1912 in ‘‘Typographia No. 2”’. This is a 
design clearly of Venetian character, which is good, 
but not distinguished. It has, unfortunately, no italic, 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new na 
tion, conceived in liberty,and dedicated to 
the proposition that all men are created 
equal. We are now engaged in a civil war 
testing whether this nation, or any nation 


Goudy Antique. Goudy 
[27] 


AMERICAN TY Pik ipa 


The next forward step was taken with the appear- 
ance of Cloister Oldstyle during 1914. It was designed 
by Morris Benton, following as closely as possible the 
famous roman type used by Jenson in his ‘“‘Eusebius’”’ 
of 1470, and was produced by the American Type 
Founders Company. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought 
forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in 
liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all 
men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a 
great civil war testing whether that nation, or any 
nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long en- 


Cloister Oldsivle. A. T.F. 


This roman type is excellent, in fact almost beyond 
criticism. That I have never made use of it is due, I 
think, to the marked inferiority of the italic. The 
general effect of this italic is not particularly good, 
but the font would be greatly improved by the 
replacement of the a, s, v, and w. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth 
on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and 
dedicated to the proposition that all men are created 
equal. Now we are en gaged in a great civil war testin g 
whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so 
dedicated,can long endure. We are met on a great bat- 


Cloister Oldstyle Italic. A.T.F. 


The first face of real excellence designed by Goudy 
to be brought out by the American Type Founders 
Company was designated as Goudy Oldstyle, and 
made its appearance in 1916. It had many of the 
same characteristics as Kennerley but was lighter in 
color and showed more differentiation in weight of line. 


[ 28 | 


—— a 


Mere xX xX TR CENTURY 


It thus worked better in the smaller sizes. It was 
actively pushed by the typefounders and had a wide 
sale, being used very largely in advertising. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fa- 
thers brought forth on this continent a 
new nation, conceived in liberty, and 
dedicated to the proposition that all 
men are created equal. Now we are en- 
gaged ina great civil war testing whether 
Goudy Oldstyle. A. T.F. 
The italic of this face is regular and pleasing. Both 


roman and italic are marred to some extent by the 
abnormally abbreviated descenders. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new na- 
tion,conceived in liberty,and dedicated to the 
proposition that all men are created equal. 
Now we are engaged in a great civil war 
testing whether that nation, or any nation 


Goudy Oldstyle Italic. A.T.F. 


The production in 1917 of the Baskerville series 
represented a revival of the types designed and used 
from 1757 to 1773 by the celebrated Birmingham 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new na- 
tion, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to 
the proposition that all men are created 


equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil 
Baskerville Roman. A.T.F. 


typefounder and printer, John Baskerville. Strikes for 
this face were purchased by the American Type 


[ 29 ] 


AMERICAN TY P Eee 
—$—$ ee 


Founders Company from Stephenson Blake & Co. 
in England. The roman of the revived series is fine, 
as will appear from this specimen. 


This excellent series has received all too little 
recognition and far too little use. It is a good, standard 
type which can heartily be recommended to printers 
as a sound choice in equipping a composing room; 
particularly for use on the smoother finish papers 
which are in almost universal use today. The roman 
is a fairly faithful copy of the types used by Basker- 
ville, but the italic, which was designed and cut in 
this country to work with the roman, is far afield 
from the italic of the original. The highly individual . 
design of the italic capital T, for example, which is a 
distinguishing feature of the Baskerville face is entirely 
missing in the revived alphabet. The American Type 
Founders Company might well consider re-cutting this 
italic and making Baskerville one of its featured types. 
It has not yet been cut for any composing machine. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new nation, 
conceived in liberty,and dedicated to the propo- 
sition that all men are created equal. Now we are 


engaged ina great civil war testing whether that 
Baskerville Italic. A.T.F. 


The next epoch in American typography was the 
revival in 1919 and 1920 of the face cut by Claude Gar- 
amond in 1540. This was one of the most beautiful ro- 
man types ever produced and it is remarkable that it 
was not copied before. The presswork on most of the 
contemporary books using Garamond’s types was so 
poor that there is little opportunity to judge their real 
beauty. The matrices have been preserved, however, 
in the French national printing office, and the use, for 
example, in Claudin’s monumental work on the his- 
tory of printing in France and in Christian’s lectures 


[ 30 ] 


eee XX THO UCEN TUR Y 


on early Paris printing, of types cast from them, 
brought the face to the attention of present-day typog- 
raphers. The adaptation was made by Morris Benton. 
The roman is remarkably faithful to the original. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
_ brought forth on this continent a new nation, 
conceived in liberty,and dedicated to the prop- 
osition that all men are created equal. Now we 
are engaged ina great civil war testing whether 
that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so 


Garamond Roman. A.T.F. 


Garamond’s italic was very free and fanciful. Prob- 
ably it was felt that a literal reproduction would be too 
extreme for use in commercial printing or modern book 
composition. So the following sedate italic, well mated 
in design with the roman, was brought out. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought 
forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in 
liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men 
ave created equal. Now we are engaged in a great 
civil war testing whether that nation, or any nation 
so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We 


Garamond Italic. A.T.F. 


This is a good italic type, but we may venture to 
hope at a later date for an alternative italic, more 
nearly corresponding with the original. 

An excellent bold face of medium weight, named 
Garamond Bold, was designed by Morris Benton and 
offered by the American Type Founders Company in 
1923. It has, of course, little relation to the types of 
Claude Garamond, except that it is appropriate to use 
in combination with the types of the series illustrated 
above. 


[31] 


AMERICAN. T Y P £3 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new na- 
tion, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to - 
the proposition that all men are created 
equal. Now we are engaged ina great civil 
war testing whether that nation, or any na- 


; Garanioud Bold. ALT FE: 


In 1918 Goudy brought out a type of considerable 
strength—almost a bold face—different in design from 
anything he had done before, and christened it Goudy 
Modern. It made its first appearance in ‘‘Ars Typo- 
graphica No. 2.’’ The lower case ascenders exceed the 
capitals in height, a feature held by Mr. Stanley 
Morison to be based on sound calligraphic precedent. 
This face, shown in the following specimen is a good 
design. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new na- 
tion, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to 
the proposition that all men are created 
equal. We are now engaged in a great civil 


war testing whether this nation, or any na- 
Goudy Modern. Goudy 


Goudy Open, an excellent and highly popular dis- 
play letter, was first offered in 1918. This type looks 
particularly well in lines of capitals. It is my under- 
standing that Mr. Goudy designed this first and then 
conceived the idea of filling in the outlines, thus pro- 
ducing Goudy Modern as shown above. 


Fourscore & Seven Years 
Agoour Fathers ro 


Goudy Open. Goudy 
[ 32 ] 


eee NX TH LU UCENTURY 


A highly individualistic type—admittedly an experi- 
ment—and intended only for limited use, ts known as 
Goudy Newstyle. It was first shown in the ‘‘American 
Printer’ of July 5, 1921. The lower case e is new in 
form as well as design and the drawing of the lower 
case 0 is distinctly original. 


Fourscore & seven years ago our 
fathers brought forth on this con- 
tinent a new nation, conceived in 


liberty, and dedicated to the prop- 


Goudy Newstyle. Goudy 


Another Goudy type which, like Kennerley and a 
number of the other types described, he has brought 
out himself under the name of the Village Letter Foun- 
dery, is termed Hadriano. This is an alphabet of classic 
capitals of great force and magnificent drawing. They 
are not suited to all uses but are certainly delightful to 
look at. This type was brought out in February, 1918, 
and first shown in “‘Ars Typographica No. 1.” 


FOURSCORE AND 
SEVEN YEARS AG 


Hadriano. Goudy 


Leaving Mr. Goudy for a moment we will consider a 
face designed by Oswald Cooper for Barnhart Brothers 
& Spindler, and brought out in 1919. This is a type face 
of much merit. It is strong in character and thoroughly 
original. For good book composition the descenders are 
a little too short but this does not prove a disadvan- 
tage in advertising composition. It would be worth 
while for the foundry to offer this face in alternative 
form on a larger body with longer descenders. The 


[ 33 ] 


a 


AMERICAN TYPE Die 


lower case e, one of the most important letters of the 
alphabet in a printer’s case, seems clearly too small. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fa 

thers brought forth on this continent 
anew nation, conceived in liberty, and 
dedicated to the proposition that allmen 
are created equal. Now weare engaged 
in agreat civil war testing whether that 


Cooper Roman. Barnhart 


The italic has many points of charm. It, too, is 
entirely original. The idiosyncrasy of the lower case h - 
and n going below the line is not, I feel, a feature need- 
ful to make the face individual and might better be dis- 
pensed with. In general drawing and design, however, 
we have here a fine basis on which to build. It ap- 
peared in 1924. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fa- 
thers brought forth on this continent a 
new nation, conceived in liberty and 
dedicated to the proposition that all men 
are created equal. Now we are engaged 
in a great civil war testing whether that 


Cooper Italic. Barnhart 


Another Barnhart face is known as Laclede Old- 
style. This was developed in 1920 by the Laclede Type 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fa- 
thers brought forth on this continent 
a new nation, conceived in liberty, and 
dedicated to the proposition that all 
men are created equal. Now we are en- 
Sagedina great civilwar testing whether 


Laclede Oldstyle. Barnhart 
[ 34] 


Meee kX TH CENTURY 


Foundry of St. Louis which was recently absorbed by 
the Chicago organization. This is a pleasing face, but it 
has a little too close a resemblance to a type already 
illustrated. So far as I know, it has no italic. 
_ Mr. Goudy some time ago designed a type which 
was put on the market in 1923 by the American Type 
Founders Company, under the designation of National 
Oldstyle. It is available only in the roman, which is 
shown below. ~ 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new na- 
tion, conceived in liberty,and dedicated to 
the proposition that all men are created 
equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil 
war testing whether that nation, or any na- 


National Oldstyle. A.T.F. 


The Mergenthaler Linotype Company brought out 
in 1915 a completely original type face known as Bene- 
dictine. The design was adapted by Joseph E. Hill, 
working under the direction of Mr. E. E. Bartlett, 
from the type used during the fifteenth century at 
Bologna in various books printed by Plato de Bene- 
dictis. These types were photographically enlarged and 
followed. very faithfully. In general this is an excellent 
type face. The change in the lower case / from the tra- 
ditional form of that letter is, however, a distinct 
drawback to its legibility and effectiveness. There is no 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fa- 
thers brought forth on this continent a 
new nation, conceived in liberty, and 
dedicated to the proposition that all 
men are created equal. Now we are en- 


Benedictnie Roman. Linotype 


[35 ] 


AMERICAN TY PED 


form of letters better than that to which we are most 
accustomed. Type designers or type adapters should 
regard this as a primary law. 

The italic of Benedictine is not, I think, as successful 
as the roman. In the lower case the ~ and / depart 
unnecessarily from the traditional forms and the g, 2, 
w, and y are too calligraphic in character for good 
printing types. The a seems too narrow in comparison 
with the other vowels. 

The comments are, of course, not to be interpreted 
as criticisms of the type as an historic revival, but only 
as affecting its usefulness for present-day printing. 


Fourscore and seven years ago out fa- 
thers brought forth on this continent a 
new nation, conceived in liberty, and 
dedicated to the proposition that all 
men are created equal. Now we ate en- 
gaged in civil war testing whether that 


- Benedictine Italic. Linotype} 


The Benedictine Book, which is an interpretation in 
lighter color of the same design, brought out in 
1922, has in the roman many merits as a type for 
book composition. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fa- 
thers brought forth on this continent a 
new nation, conceived in liberty, and 
dedicated to the proposition that all 
mien are created equal. Now we are en- 
gaged in civil war testing whether that 


Benedictine Book Roman. Linotype 


The same comments as made regarding Benedic- 
tine apply to this type in both roman and italic— 


[ 36 ] 


eee NOX TH: CENTURY 


though in markedly less degree. It is to be hoped that 
the sale of matrices for these two series will encourage 
the Linotype Company to further efforts in the pro- 
duction of original faces. From all reports this encour- 
agement is forthcoming from its customers. The 
Benedictine Book Italic is shown in the following 
specimen : 


Fourscore and seven years ago out fa- 
thers brought forth on this continent a 
new nation, conceived in liberty, and 
. dedicated to the proposition that all 
men are created equal. Now we are en- 
gaged in civil wat testing whether that 


Benedictine Book Italic. Linotype 


Another face developed for the linotype is known as 
Elzevir No. 3, which appeared in 1919. This is a 
French old style, a composite face, produced under 
Mr. Bartlett’s direction. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fa- 
thers brought forth on this continent a 
new nation, conceived in liberty, and 
dedicated to the proposition that all 
men are created equal. Now we are en- 
gaged in civil war testing whether that 


Elzevir No. 3 Roman. Linotype 


Both the roman above, and the italic following, 
are good of their kind. It need hardly be explained 
that the name is a derivative of general trade custom 
rather than an intimation that the face resembles the 
types actually used by Abraham, Bonaventure, 
Daniel, or Louis Elzevir. 


[37] 


AMERICAN TY PED 
laDiabind ned cnaneanttataan nae 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fa- 
thers brought forth on this continent a 
new nation, conceived in liberty, and 
dedicated to the proposition that all 
men are created equal. Now we are en- 
gaged in civil war testing whether that 


Elzevir No. 3 Italic. Linotype 


The Monotype Company’s most consequential 
contribution to original type design is Frederic — 
Goudy’s new type which has been baptised Italian 
Old Style. The specimen which follows is the eighteen 
point size of this type—unlike the other specimens 
illustrating this essay, which are uniformly set in 
fourteen point types. This is a very fine roman letter 
with almost no affectations of design. The descenders 
are of ample depth; the letters are well proportioned 
in width, one to the other. The only criticism I can 
make isin the form of a querulous inquiry: “‘Why do 
modern type designers object so strongly to giving 
any height to a lower case f?’’ This type made its 
appearance in 1924. 


Fourscore and seven years ago 
our fathers brought forth on this 
continent a new nation, con 
ceived in liberty, and dedicated 
to the proposition that all men 


Italian Old Style Roman. Monotype 


The italic of this face is also excellent, though the 
excrescences on the lower case v and w are annoying. 
I understand, however, that these have been changed 
since the specimen was set. The usefulness of the 
angular appendage at the top of the lower case # is 
also open to question. The capitals when used in 


[38 ] 


momen XN THOU UCCE NOT URY 


combination are fine and spirited. A designer can take 
many more liberties, however, with the capitals of an 
alphabet (which are used so seldom) than with the 
lower case which is used so largely. 


Fourscore and seven years ago 
our fathers brought forth on this 
continent a new nation, conceived 
in liberty, and dedicated to the 
proposition that all men are cre: 


Italian Old Style Italic. Monotype 
Hess Old Style is a good type which shows the in- 
fluence of recent tendencies in type design. It has 
almost no mannerisms to obscure its legibility. This 
type was designed by Sol. Hess, typographic manager 
of the Lanston Monotype Machine Company. It was 
brought out in 1920. | 


Fourscore and seven years ago our 
fathers brought forth on this conti- 
nent a new nation, conceived in lib- 
erty, and dedicated to the propo- 
sition that all men are created equal. 


Hess Old Style Roman. Monotype 


The italic of this face keys in well with the roman. 
It too is in no sense freakish. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fa- 
thers brought forth on this continent a 
new nation, conceived in liberty, and 
dedicated to the proposition that all 
men are created equal. Now we are 


Hess Old Style Italic. Monotype 


[ 39 ] 


AMERICAN (TY P EY pep 


It had not been intended to include in this essay 
any types not available in the market to any printer 
who might care to use them. I am making one excep- 
tion, however, in the case of Collier Old Style, a very 
beautiful face for hand composition designed for the 
Proctor and Collier Company of Cincinnati by F. W. 
Goudy. The roman—all that has as yet been cut—is 
shown below. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 

brought forth on this continent a new na- 

tion, conceived in liberty, and dedicated 

to the proposition that all men are created 

equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil 

war testing whether that nation, or any na- 
Collier Old Style 


I have now dealt with most of the significant type 
designs of American origin (in my own judgment 
of course) suited to text composition, and produced 
during the past two decades. The most widely known 
type of distinctly American creation, however, has 
not as yet been discussed. Cheltenham, which has 
been developed into twenty-four series though various 
modifications—extended, extra extended, condensed, 
extra condensed, bold, shaded, and so forth—is known 
as a type family in all countries of the civilized world. 
It was designed by Bertram G. Goodhue in collabora- 
tion with Ingalls Kimball and was produced in hand 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 

brought forth on this continent a new nation, 

conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the 

proposition that all men are created equal. 

Now we are engaged in a great civil war 

testing whether that nation, or any nation so 
Cheltenham Roman. Linotype 


[ 40 ] 


Meee RK ET BLUCUCULEUWNNCT UR Y 


type by the American Type Founders Company and 
for line casting by the Mergenthaler Linotype Com- 
pany. I show herewith the original version as available 
on the linotype, as it appeared in 1906. 

This type, while it was an improvement on some of 
the barbarous types whose use it supplanted, is not a 
beautiful face, and of course, it becomes less attractive 
the more it is squeezed together or puffed out. It is not, 
I believe, a wise choice of type for the present-day 
composing room. The appearance of most commercial 
or magazine printing will be improved by the simple 
expedient of denying any variants of the Cheltenham 
design to the compositors. The italic of the original 
design follows: 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new nation, 
conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the 
proposition that all men are created equal. 
Now we are engaged in a great civil war 
testing whether that nation, or any nation so 


Cheltenham Italic. Linotype 


No account of American type design, however, 
would be complete without a mention of Cheltenham, 
for the ramifications of its family tree have made a 
deep impression on the history of typographic develop- 
ment in the United States. 

As has already been pointed out, more and more 
volume composition has been handled on the compos- 
ing machines. In consequence, the appearance of a 
considerable proportion of American printing has been 
conditioned by the choice of types offered in matrix 
form by the composing machine manufacturers, and 
the quality of these types from the standpoint of 
design. As has also been noted most of these faces 
were adaptations or copies of designs already stand- 


[ai] 


AME RICAN’ (DY P 6 0 


ardized by the type founders. Let us consider, there- 
fore, the better of these adapted faces which are 
available to the printer today. 

It is no exaggeration to say that, up until a few 
years ago, the printer desiring to turn out a really 
fine book, had no option other than to hand set it in 
foundry type. The credit for bringing out the first 
machine face of wide usefulness suited for fine com- . 
position must go to the Monotype Company for its 
version of Caslon offered to the public in 1915. This 
face had long descenders and followed very closely 
the classic design. When cast slightly tighter fitting 
than normal it makes possible very fine composition 
indeed. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new na- 
tion, conceived in liberty, and dedicated 
to the proposition that all men are created 
equal. Now we are engaged in a great 
civil war testing whether that nation, or 


337 Caslon Roman. Monotype 


The italic of this type, which is known as “337 
Caslon,’’ is practically as good as the roman. The abil- 
ity of the monotype to cast kerning letters is of particu- 
lar help in the italic rendering of this particular face. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new nation, 
conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the prop- 
osition that all men are created equal. Now 
we are engaged in a great civil war test- 
ing whether that nation, or any nation so 


337 Caslon Italic. Monotype 


[42 ] 


Meee NX THU UCENTURY 


About ten years ago the Peignot Foundry in Paris 
brought out a fine original type design, known as 
Cochin, and based on the lettering of eighteenth 
century French copperplate engravers. In 1916 an 
adaptation of this deservedly popular face was 
brought out for the monotype. The roman, shown 
here, is a most satisfactory type. | 

Fourscore and seven years ago our 

fathers brought forth on this conti- 

nent a new nation, conceived in lib- 
erty, and dedicated to the proposi- 
tion that all men are created equal. 

Now we are engaged in a great civil 


Cochin Roman. Monolypbe 


The glory of the French type, however, was its italic, 
which was extremely spirited. The rendering of this was 
disappointing—more so than need have been the case. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fa- 
thers brought forth on this continent a 
new nation, conceived in liberty, and 
dedicated to the proposition that all 
men are created equal. Now we are en-- 
gaged in great cul war testing whether 


Cochin Italic. Monotybe 


The next important monotype adaptation was the 
Garamond face, re-christened Garamont. Person- 
Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new 
nation, conceived in liberty, and dedi- 
cated to the proposition that all men 
ate created equal. Now we arte engaged 
in a great civil war testing whether that 


Garamont Roman. Monotype 


[ 43 | 


AMERICAN. TY PE ye 


ally I cannot see any material differences between 
this face and the foundry face brought out a number 
of years earlier. This series was put on the marketfin 
the latter part of 1922. ; 

This correspondence is particularly to be noted 
in the italic which follows the foundry precedent in 
departing far from the models of Claude Garamond. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new nation, 
conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the prop- 
osition that all men ave created equal. Now 
we are engaged in a great civil war testing 
whether that nation, or any nation so concetved 


Garamont Italic. Monotype 


The Garamont series, however, is a very beautiful 
face for machine composition, and constitutes a 
material contribution toward raising to still higher 
levels the standards of American typography. 

One of the best faces available for everyday “bread 
and butter’ use is the Binny Old Style in its mono- 
type version. In sizes fourteen point and below it is 
good; in larger sizes it is most unsatisfactory. For text 
composition of the plainer sort, however, it affords 
a fine backbone to a composing room. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our 
fathers brought forth on this conti- _ 
nent a new nation, conceived in lib- 
erty, and dedicated to the propo- 
sition that all men are created equal. 
Now we are engaged in a great civil 


Binny Old Styles Roman. Monotype 


The italic of this old style type of American ancestry 
is good but not distinguished. Incidentally, it may 


[44 ] 


Pome XT RH CENTURY 


be noted that the present essay is set in ten point 
Binny Old Style. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fa- 
thers brought forth on this continent 
a new nation, conceived in liberty, 
and dedicated to the proposition that 
all men are created equal. Now we are 
engaged in a great civil war testing 


Binny Old Siyle Italic. Monotype 


The Hess Bold, offered on the monotype, is not 
in my opinion a good face, being more extended than 
normal letter proportions admit. 


Fourscore and seven years ago 
our fathers brought forth on this 
continent a new nation, con- 
ceived in liberty, and dedicated 
to the proposition that all men 
are created equal. Now we are 


Hess Bold. Monotype 


Scotch is one of the well known type faces.and when 
well designed is an excellent type of ‘‘transitional”’ 
character. But the types available today under that 


Fourscore and seven years ago our 

fathers brought forth on this conti- 

nent a new nation, conceived in lib- 

erty, and dedicated to the proposition 

that all men are created equal. Now 

we are engaged in a great civil war 
Scotch Roman. Monotype 


[45 ] 


AMERICAN (“TY P Ey 


designation, either from the foundry or on the mono- 
type or linotype, are far from attractive. The mono- 
type version is here shown. 

The italic is even less prepossessing as will be evi- 
dent from the following specimen. In justice to the 
face, however, it should be noted that the smaller 
sizes are better—though the larger sizes are worse. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our 
JSathers brought forth on this conte- 
nent a new nation, concerved rm lrb- 
erty, and dedicated to the proposi- 
tzon that all men are created equal. 
Now we are engaged ina great crvil 


Scotch Italic. Monotype 


If any printer would like to use a good Scotch for 
hand composition, I should advise him to persuade 
the American Type Founders Company to cast some 
Wayside, now an obsolete face, but an excellent one. 

As has already been noted the Kennerley as origin- 
ally brought out by Mr. Goudy was duplicated on 
the monotype in 1923—another great advantage to 
the printer using machine composition. The mono- 
type has also had for a number of years a face called 
Goudy Light which I am sure is no more pleasing 
to Mr. Goudy than it is to his friends. 


-Fourscore and seven years ago our fa- 
thers brought forth on this continent 
a new nation, conceived in liberty, and 
dedicated to the proposition that all 
men are created equal. Now we are 
engaged in a great civil war testing 


Goudy Light Roman. Monotype 


{ 46 ] 


Meee eX Xt A CEN TUR Y 


The showing of the italic of this same face, which 
was brought out in 1910, will close our consideration 
of the type faces available on the monotype. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fa- 
thers brought forth on this continent a 
new nation, conceived in liberty, and 
dedicated to the proposition that allmen 
are created equal. Now we are engaged 
in a great civil war testing whether that 


Goudy Light Italic. Monotype 


We will now proceed to consider .the adapted faces 
available to users of the linotype machine. The Bodoni 
revival resulted in the production of linotype matrices 
for what is in many respects the finest type produced 
for linecasting in recent years—Bodoni Book, pe 
appeared in 1916. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new nation, 
conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the 
proposition that all men are created equal. 
Now we are engaged in a great civil war 


Bodoni Book Roman. Linotype 


I am sure the above specimen will obviate the need 
of further eulogy. The italic is equally commendable. 
Both these alphabets are superior to the monotype 
version of. the same face. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new nation, 
conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the 
proposition that-all men are created equal. 


Now we are engaged in a great civil war 
Bodoni Book Italic. Linotype 


[47 ] 


AMERICAN TY P ES Die 


The Bodoni as produced for the linotype during 1914 
is an excellent face, particularly acceptable for adver- 
tising composition. 

Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 

brought forth on this continent a new na- 

tion, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to 

the proposition that all men are created 

equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil 

war testing whether that nation, or any na- 
Bodoni Roman. Linotype 


The italic is very close in design to that produced 
earlier by the foundry. What more praise is needed? 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new na- 
tion, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to 
the proposition that all men are created 
equal. Now we are engaged ina great civil. 
war testing whether that nation, or any na- 


Bodoni Italic. Linotype 


Another face developed for the linotype is known 
simply as No. 16. It is a modern in design and has 
extremely abbreviated descenders which make it a 
large face for a fourteen point body. 

In the italic the curtailment of the descenders is 


Fourscore and seven years ago our 
fathers brought forth on this con- 
tinent a new nation, conceived in 
liberty, and dedicated to the prop- 
osition that all men are created 
equal. Now we are engaged in a 


Number 16 Roman. Linotype 


[ 48 ] 


Peete A XK TH UC KEN TURY 


even more noticeable. I cannot consider this face a 
well-designed type. It was put on the market in 1910. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our 
fathers brought forth on this con- 
finent a new nation, conceived in 
liberty, and dedicated to the prop- 
osition that all men are created 


Number 16 Italic. Linotype 


The Linotype Company has just produced a highly 
satisfactory interpretation of Caslon—that classic de- 
sign of Anglo-Saxon typographers. The Caslon Old 
Face, now available in complete series, though not 
yet officially announced, is shown below. 

Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 

brought forth on this continent a new na- 

tion, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to 

the proposition that all men are created 

equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil 

war testing whether that nation, or any na- 
Caslon Old Face Roman. Linotype 

Italics have always been a problem to linotype 
designers, but in this case the italic has been handled 
remarkably well. Even the lower case f, that rock on 
which many a linecasting face has stranded, has shown 
up with considerable spirit retained. 

Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers 
brought forth on this continent a new na- 
tion, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to 
the proposition that all men are created 
equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil 
war testing whether that nation, or any na- 


Caslon Old Face Italic. Linotype 


[ 49 ] 


AMERICAN —T Y Pib@py 


In concluding my review of linotype adaptations, I 
wish to call attention to a face which is used all too 
little. A number of typographers of authority consider 
it the best face available on the slug machines. I refer 
to Original Old Style, based on a face originally 
brought out many years ago by Miller and Richard of 
Edinburgh. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fa- 
thers brought forth on this continent a 
new nation, conceived in liberty, and 
dedicated to the proposition that all men 
are created equal. Now we are engaged 


Original Old Style Roman. Linotype 


The roman, as will be seen is very handsome. The 
capitals, being heavy, give it a spotty appearance 
which seems to add to rather than detract from its 
attractiveness in the printed page. As usual the italic 
is not so satisfactory, but it is far from bad. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fa- 

thers brought forth on this continent a 

new nation, concerved in liberty, and 

dedicated to the proposition that all men 

are created equal. Now we are engaged 
Original Old Siyle Italic. Linotype 


Returning again to foundry types, I show below a 
type produced essentially for ‘advertising use and 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fa- 
thers brought forth on this continent a 
new nation, conceived in liberty, and 
dedicated tothe proposition that all men 
are created equal. Now we are engaged 


Artcraft Roman. Barnhart 


[50] 


eee NN TH | UC OE NT UR Y 


called Artcraft, brought out'in 1912 by Barnhart 
Brothers & Spindler. If a number of the curlicues put 
on it intentionally to give it “‘individuality’’ were 
omitted it might be a very attractive type. 
As it is, however, it has been a very popular one and 
has enjoyed a wide sale. It is here shown in the italic, 
which made its bow to the public in 1914. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fa- 
thers brought forth on this continent 
a new nation, conceived in liberty, and 
dedicated to the proposition that all 
men are created equal. Now we are 
engaged in-a great civil war testing 


Artcraft Italic. Barnhart 


A conventional though very slightly compressed old 
style type is offered by the same foundry under the 
name of Clearcut Oldstyle. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fa- 
thers brought forth on this continent a 
new nation,conceived in liberty, anddedi- 
cated to the proposition that all men are 
created equal. Now we are engaged ina 
great civil war testing whether that na- 


Clearcut Oldstyle Roman. Barnhart 


This type reverses the usual relation and seems more 
attractive in the italic than the roman. 


Fourscore and seven years ago our fa- 
thers brought forth on thts continent a 
new nation, conceived in liberty, and 
dedicated to the proposttion that all 
men ave created equal. Now we are 


Clearcut Oldstyle Italic. Barnhart 


[51] 


AMERICAN 7 Y PR 


There is a recent development in type design which 
bids fair to spread. It had its inspiration in the pop- 
ularity of the ‘‘swash”’ capitals available with the 
italic of Caslon and several other faces. The idea was 
conceived of making other fancy capitals to go with 
lower case italics already created and call the combina- 
tion ‘‘Cursive.”’ The swash capitals we have known in 
the past were essentially type letters, but these cursive 
capitals—strongly reminiscent of the French “lettres 
coulées” of the latter half of the last century—are 
more scriptorial in character. 

The combination of such a series of capitals with the 
lower case italic of Cloister and christened Cloister 
Cursive by the American Type Founders Company 
shown below made its appearance in 1923. 


Fourscore and Seven Years ago our Fathers Brought 

forth on this Gontinent a New Nation, conceived in 

Liberty, and dedicated to the Proposition hat All 

men are Greated Equal. Now we Are Engaged ina 

Great civil ‘War testing whether that Nation, or any 

nation so Gonceived, and so Dedicated, can Long en- 
Clotster Cursive. A. T.F. 


A similar course pursued with Goudy Oldstyle italic 


gives the following result under the title of Goudy 
Cursive. This was also a product of the year 1923. 


ourscore and Seven Years ago our fathers 
brought Gorth on this continent a New na- 
tion, Conceived in Liberty, and “Dedicated 
to the proposition that all een are created 
equal. Now we Are Engaged in a Great 
(ivil ‘War testing whether Ghat ation. 


Goudy Cursive. A. T.F. 


[52] 


emer xX xX TH CENTURY 


Personally I do not care for such extremes in type 
design. Cursive capitals are even being produced for 
Caslon and the result in composition is far less attract- 
ive than if fancy had been limited to the swash letters 
already in use. 

To go back no farther than 1910, the types available 
in even our best printing offices for display composi- 
tion were poor indeed. In most such offices some good 
text types might have been discovered, but types to 
produce beautiful advertising composition were almost 
non-existent. 

This situation has changed to a spectacular degree. 
Many of the types already shown are also beautiful in 
the larger sizes. And to meet the natural demand for 
heavier types, the first really distinguished bold face 
types have been produced. 

First place on the list of these types must be ac- 
corded to Goudy Bold, a type with the actual design of 
which—according to his own statement—Mr. Goudy 
had nothing to do. It appears that the result is to be 
credited to Morris Benton of the American Type 
Founders Company, who started with Goudy Old 
Style before him, to evolve a bold face which would 
work appropriately with that type. In proportion of 
letters, character of serifs, and so forth, certain rela- 
tions between the two types have been preserved. So 
it is that the foundry credits it jointly to Goudy and 
Benton. This type made its first public appearance 
during the year 1917. 


Fourscore and Seven Y 


YEARS AGO OUR F 


Goudy Bold Roman. A.T.F. 


A highly successful italic was brought out soon after 
—to be specific, in 1921. This was another consequen- 
tial addition to our typographic assets. 


[53 ] 


AcoM Eb -R*1-C Wen ‘Uy Abs DE SGN 
Fourscore and Seven Ye 


YEARS AGO OUR F 


Goudy Bold Italic. A. T.F. 


A very attractive shaded letter, evolved from the 
same design appeared in 1923. It is known as Goudy 
Handtooled. 


Fourscore and Seven Y 


YEARS AGO OUR if 


Goudy Handtooled Roman. A.T.F. 


This type, as well as its italic which follows, works 
best on coated paper. The white line is liable to fill up 
in running on other kinds of stock. 


Fourscore and Seven Y 


YEARS AGO OUR F 


Goudy Handtooled Italic. A. T.F. 


Second place on the list of bold faces must be 
awarded to Cloister Bold, a bold designed by Morris 
Benton to work in combination with his Cloister 
Oldstyle, and brought out in -1915. The roman is 
exceptionally good. 


Fourscore and Seven Years 


AGO OUR FATHERS B 


Cloister Bold Roman. A.T.F. 


The corresponding italic was placed on ce market 
the following year, 1916. It is a leaner letter than the 
roman as will appear by comparing the specimen 
above with the one which follows. 


[54 ] 


moet NON THO OhCCOENCUUTCURY 


Fourscore and Seven Years A 


AGO OUR FATHERS BR 


Cloister Bold Italic. A.T.F. 


The Garamond Bold, which has already been 
shown in the fourteen point size, is also a very hand- 
some letter in the display sizes. No italic of it has 
yet appeared. 


Fourscore and Seven Year 
AGO OUR FATHERS B 


Garamond Bold Roman. A.T.F. 


There is a type on the obsolete list of the American 
Type Founders Company which seems to me very 
fine for certain display purposes. I refer to French 
Script, shown below. It is one of the finest script 
types ever produced, and is a useful addition to the 
equipment of any composing room handling high 
grade work. 


ire and 
ret coCUCe GAIilta deve Yer 


ago our fathers brought 
French Script. A.T. F. 

One novelty which I have been expecting for some 
time has just been brought out by the American 
Type Founders Company—a face based on pen 
lettering. It is designated as Freehand and will be 
found extremely useful for certain purposes. 


Fourscore and Seven Years 


Ago Our Fathers Brought F 


Freehand. A:T.F. 
Pos) 


AMERICAN TY P Eig 
$e SN DS 


Two other new faces are not as good. One known as 
Colwell Handletter seems most unattractive. 


Fourscore and Seven Year 
AGO OUR FATHERS 


And in. the italic it exhibits as many if not more 
unprofitable eccentricities. 


Fourscore and Seven Year 
AGO OUR FATHERS 


Colwell Handletier Italic. A. T.F. 


Another new type, named Sterling, seems a step 
backward rather than forward. 


Fourscore and Seven Year 


AGO OUR FATHERS 


Sterling Roman. A.T.F. 


With the capitals shown in the specimen below it is 
designated as Sterling Cursive. 


‘Fourscore and SevenYea 


Ago Our Fathers ‘Broug 


Sterling Cursive. A. T.F. 


Passing now to the display types produced by 
Barnhart Brothers & Spindler we find Cooper in the 
roman not quite so distinguished in the display sizes 
as in the text sizes. 


[56 ] 


Pereeererc AN TYPE DESTCN 


Fourscore and Seven Y 


AGO OUR FATHER 


Cooper Bold Roman. Barnhart 


The italic of the Cooper, however, stands the en- 
largement very well. 


Fourscore and SevenYea 


AGO OUR FATHER 


Cooper Bold Tialic. Barnhari 


Some advertisers require exceptionally bold and 
black types. Personally I do not see the necessity for 
them even to obtain smashing display. Of that kind of 
type, however, Cooper Black, a type of the vintage 
of 1920, is a good example. 


Fourscore and Se 
YEARS AGO OUR 


Cooper Black. Barnhart 


The Barnhart concern started to reproduce Le 
Moreau le Jeune, the beautiful and delicate French 
outline type, the lines of which are of the same weight 
throughout the design. One stroke in the following 
design, however, has been made materially heavier, 
so the appearance is very different from the French 
original. This type, which appeared in 1915, is 
named Caslon Openface. 


Kourscore and Seven Yea 


YEARS AGO OUR 


Caslon Openface. Barnhart 


[57] 


AMERICAN J Y P Epo 


A rather odd face, which has nevertheless a real field 
of usefulness, is known as Caslon Antique, a type 
which was first put on the market in 1897. The 
edges of the letters are deliberately broken and 
made uneven as though drawn by a trembling hand, 
in order to give the impression of old age. 


Fourscore and Seven Years Ag 


OUR FATHERS BROU 


Caslon Antique Roman. Barnhart 


This type has been very successfully used in adver- 
tising of a certain character. The italic is similar. 


Fourscore and Seven Years 


AGO OUR FATHERS 


Caslon Antique Italic. Barnhart 


Laclede Bold is an attractive bold face showing the 
influence of an earlier design of similar character. 
It was brought out in 1924. 


Fourscore and Seven 


YEARS AGO OUR 


Laclede Bold. Barnhart 


A very interesting novelty, brought out in 1924 
by Barnhart is a series of flourished ornamental 
letters known as Clearcut Shaded Capitals to work 
with the types of the regular Clearcut series. These 
constitute I think a more defensible experiment than 
the so-called ‘‘cursive’’ capitals, because they are so 
clearly decorations rather than types. And of course, 


[58] 


meee fh ONT OH LUCCCUEEN TOUR Y 


no one would think of using them for any extensive 
piece of copy. They do help to make, however, rather 
attractive decorative lines in open display. 


OFour CScore and eSev 
OVEARS AGO COUR 


Clearcut Shaded Capitals. Barnhart 


The capitals known as Caslon Italic Specials do not 
appear to me so worthy of commendation. They are 
in the manner of type letters yet are too fancy in form 
for type. They are used in combination with the 
italic of Barnhart’s series of Caslon, and have just 
made their appearance. 


Cour Score &Seven’yY 
CAGO OUR °FATHE 


Caslon Italic Specials. Barnhart 


A satisfactory heavy type for advertising composi- 
tion is known as Artcraft Bold. This has fewer eccen- 
tricities than the lighter faced roman of the same 
type family. 


Fourscore and Seven 


YEARS AGO OUR F 


Artcraft Bold. Barnhart 


Pencraft Shaced isa type with? an éxcellent’ es 
behind its Gesizn.»The extent andl ‘distribution’ of the’ 
shading Bees it a prune: effect on; coatet papel 


[597 


AMERICAN} UT Y Pee 3 


the stock on which it should be used. This face would 
profit by making the tails on the serifs a little less 
pronounced. 


Fourscore and Seven 


YEARS AGO OUR 


Pencraft Shaded. Barnhart 


Our discussion of the Barnhart display types can 
close with a showing of Trenholm Oldstyle, a type 
not yet on the market, the matrices of which are still 
undergoing revision. This face was designed for the 
Chicago foundry by George F. Trenholm of Boston. 
The type represents, it appears to me, an effort to 
obtain individuality by legitimate means. Every 
letter follows the established letter forms. The inno- 
vations consist of a slight condensation and unusual 
originality of drawing. 


Fourscore and Seven Years 


AGO OUR FATHERS B 


Trenholm Oldstyle Roman. Barnhart 


Finally, in the field of display types, I show a 
design of my own known as Vanity Fair Capitals. 
This is a ‘‘lettre de fantaisie’’ as the French would call 
it and suited to very limited use. The alphabetfis 
based on a type of J. F. Rosart, a Dutch founder, of 
the eighteenth century. It appeared in 1923. 


Ly IT WF A*4\) TD Tt 
FOCRS OG UF IK Mx 
Vanity Fair Capitals 


Another type of my own design, based on similar 
. inspiratign, has.a little wider field of usefulness, being 
‘ Suited : for. dveadings, : ‘initials, . ‘and geneyal display. 
This face, “the matrices for which were’engraved dur- 
ing: 102244 is Beate as: MeMurtrie Title. 


[60]: 


mom NOX TH CEN T.U RY 


FOURSCORE AN 


McMuririe Title 


In planning this little essay on types of the contem- 
porary period, it seemed that the most intelligent form 
of presentation of the various faces, for purposes of 
comparison, would be to have the same copy set in 
uniform style in each type discussed. No one compos- 
ing room could hope to prepare such specimens. My 
suggestion of the project, however, met with hearty 
encouragement from the type founders and the com- 
posing machine manufacturers, and it was their co-op- 
eration that made the publication of this conspectus 
possible. In particular I want to express my apprecia- 
tion to the American Type Founders Company, Barn- 
hart Brothers & Spindler, Mr. Frederic W. Goudy, 
the Mergenthaler Linotype Company, the Lanston 
Monotype Machine Company, the Proctor & Collier 
Company, the Condé Nast Press, and the Flower Steel 
Electrotype Company. 

Critical evaluation of contemporary work is never a 
popular function, yet it is one which, in the interest of 
continued progress, should be attempted, even if some 
judgments may be subject to revision in the light of 
wider experience. In the course of this article I have 
criticized many designs which I did not think were 
good, and have in most cases given my reasons for so 
thinking. Many more I have felt able, without reser- 
- vation, to commend. , 

The conclusion, however, which is not to be escaped, 
in covering the ground which has been traversed, is 
that the United States has a great deal to be proud of 
in her accomplishments in the field of type design in 
the last twenty years. Certainly in the two decades 
just past we have made greater progress than in the 
fifty years next preceding. And this recent progress 
will compare most favorably with that made in type 
designing circles in any, country of Europe. 


[61 ] 


AMERICAN TY PE (epee 
$< 


INDEX TO SPECIMENS 


Artcraft, Roman, (Foundry)... / 77. ne 50 
Artcraft, Italic, (Foundry). .). 2), 51 
Artcraft Bold, Roman, (Foundry). 2) 59 
Baskerville, Roman, (Foundry)... 719.9) eee 29 
Baskerville, Italic, (Foundry)... 7733 30 
Benedictine, Roman, (Linotype). (7. a,» eee 35 
Benedictine, Italic, (Linotype) / 273). ee 36 
Benedictine Book, Roman, (Linotype)............ 36 
Benedictine Book, Italic, (Linotype)... eae AW 
Binny Old Style, Roman, (Monotype)............ 44 
Binny Old Style, Italic, (Monotype).............. 45 
Bodont, Roman, (Foundry): ..>.2) 23 
Bodont, Italic, (Foundry)...7).. J) 24 
Bodoni Book, Roman, (Foundry)... eee 24 
Bodoni Book, Italic, (Foundry). 77) 25 
Bodoni, Roman, (Linotype)... 7/022 jee 48 
Bodoni, Italic, (Linotype). . 77. 3) =e 48 
Bodoni Book, Roman, (Linotype). 39.) 7 seen 47 
Bodoni Book,‘ talic, (Linotype). 3) eee 47 
Caslon Antique, Roman, (Foundry).3 eee 58 
Caslon Antique, Italic (Foundry). eee 58 
Caslon, Enlargements to show comparative designs 
in three sizes... ... 2,4. 14 
Caslon Italic Specials... .... 7 59 
Caslon Old Face, Roman (Linotype).............. 49 
Caslon Old Face, Italic, (Linotype).55 ee 49 
Caslon page, from MacKellar specimen of 1885... . 21 
Caslon 471, Roman (Foundry)... )) 2. 22 
Caslon 471, Italic, (Foundry). .-. | eg 22 
Caslon Openface,'(Foundry) . |. 2 57 
Caslon 337, Roman, (Monotype)... 42 
Caslon 337, Italic, (Monotype): .. 1.2 a 42 
Cheltenham, Roman, (Linotype).3... see 40 
Cheltenham, Italic; (Linotype). =) eee Al 
Clearcut Oldstyle, Roman, (Foundry)..........9) 51 
Clearcut Oldstyle, Italic, (Foundry)s7 2 2 51 
Clearcut Shaded Capitals, (Foundry). 59 
Cloister Bold, Roman, (Foundry). yee 54 
Cloister Bold, Italic, (Foundry), (eee 
Cloister Cursive, (Foundry). , 2.2) 52 


[ 62 ] 


Pee ete NX THU h6UCCEN TUR Y 


Deerererermoman, (POUNCTY)... 65.605... ec. ees 28 
Beer eraiice FOUNOrY) oo eee a 28 
Moerenoman, (Nonotype):)...-.. 6... ce. 43 
Meee tee. MOnOtype), oo. ie ck eee 43 
OSS SO SSG ee 40 
Pawel tandietter.(Foundry).,......5.......-05 56 
(Colwell Mandietter, Italic, (Foundry).............56 
Sooper noman (Poundry)...,....66.6. 0.05% 34, 57 
eer ett A POUNCLY) i.e h bs eee et 34, 57 
mervermoiek, oman, (Foundry)........6.5..... wa) 
Elzevir Number 3, Roman, (Linotype)............ ith 
Pizevin Number 3, Italic, (Linotype).............38 
Meee Ce OUNUIY). ook cs a kk ek ee ee ay 
Berane SUE OUNUGY) veh ees ine Oe es a0 
Perse OUNCTY) c,h Gos ee eps Ve a OD 
Pera nd omiany (MOUNCTY) 2.2.28. ek ew 31 
premotor italic AH OUNdrY)....... cee ee la ese a1 
Garamond Bold, Roman, (Foundry)........... 32-55 
iearaaont, oman, (Monotype)..............6.-. 43 
Peart, talic (Monotype). ...... 00... ee es 44 
Perorsemigue,; (Foundry)... . 6... ee es 27 
eid. moman, (Foundry)...... 5. 0.206... 53 
Goudy Bold, Italic;(Foundry).............+-. eh ae 
eepmeereterive (i OUNCTY ). v4 i ee dds da 52 
Peeanatouled, (Foundry)... 2... vee. ead. 54 
Goudy Handtooled, Italic, (Foundry).............54 
Sone yieit.koman, (Monotypé).........0.... 46 
audit, ttalic, (Monotype)........:..1..47.47 
See odern, (Foundry)... 0... 5.60. 5c ee eee 32 
om Newstyie, (Foundry)... 0...5, 0-20 Saw: 30 
Goudy Oldstyle, Roman (Foundry).............. 29 
oudy Oldstyle, Italic (Foundry).:.. 2202. 250.0%. 29 
meer OUNCTY)i..°5 ss css eke Ader ee eee 32 
Pracrano vroundry)... ... 6. h. PAR it 3) ne Cate 33 
PRES eEDSHIM(VLONOLY DG) sss ss bee cisapate cae ee 45 
Hess Old Style, Roman, (Monotype)............. 39 
ese Old Style, Italic, (Monotype)or. 2.2.76. ih. | 39 
Italian Old Style, Roman, (Monotype)........... 38 


{63 ] 


AMERICAN  “T\Y P Ese ee 


Italian Old Style, Italic, (Monotype)-2=. ese 39 
Kennerley, Roman (Foundry and Monotype)...... 25 
Kennerley, Italic, (Foundry and Monotype)....... 26 
Kennerley, Enlargement to Show comparative De- 
signsin Two Sizes... . <7... 2 16 
Kennerley, Thirty-six Point Capitals¢.3.aee ae 
Laclede Bold. ..:......... 3\0. 
Laclede Oldstyle; (Foundry).. 3) 34 
MacKellar Specimen of 1885, A Caslon Page from. . 21 
McMurtrie Title 1\ 5 3. ae a ae 61 
National Oldstyle, (Foundry). .- 3. 3 oo 
Number 16, Roman, (Linotype) 329. eee 48 
Number 16, [talic;{Linotype) (3.3) ae 48 
Original Old Style, Roman, (Linotype)............50 
Original Old Style, Italic (Linotype). 7 eee eee 50 
Pencraft Shaded, (Foundry)... 7) 60 
Scotch, Roman, (Monotype) ... 7 yee 45 
scotch, Italic, (Monotype)... 2a 46 
Sterling Cursive, (Foundry); .) yea 56 
Thomas, Isaiah, Title Page of Type Spechmen.) aaa 19 
Trenholm Oldstyle, (Foundry)... ee 60 
Vanity Fair Capitals ....... 7. -ee 60 
INDEX TO DESIGNERS 
Bartlett, Edward E. 2)... 2. eee 35; 303: Siese 
Colwell... .20.62..30.....4) 56 
Cooper, Oswald... 2...... -. 34, 57 
Benton, Morris,....23, 24, 25,239 53, 54, 55 
Goodhue, Bertram Go......... 40, 41 


Goudy, Predena we .16, 25, 26, 27) 29532) oes 
38, 39, 40, 43, 44, 46, AT Sa 


Hess, Sol... 0. oes ce. 1S 39, 45 
Hill, Joseph E.......2.... J. 34. 50, 59 
Kimball, Ingalls... 2... 2... 9 40, 41 
McMurtrie, Douglas C.:.... 3 eee 60, 61 
Trenholm, George F.....::..> 60 











